CMass Track Meet: Scarlet Hawk fever

At yesterday’s CMass Meet at Fitchburg State University, Milford finished second with 67 points, 23 points behind state powerhouse Wachusett, which also bested the Scarlet Hawk girls at the Mid-Wach A meet. Algonquin’s boys got three individual first-place finishes and set a meet record in the 4x100 relay on their way to finishing second with 73 points.

By now, it’s no secret that this year’s Milford girls track team is the best it has ever been.

Featuring the likes of seniors Chrissy Fraga, Michelle Savoie, and Juliana Sheehan, along with junior Siaina Campbell, the Scarlet Hawk girls placed second at the CMass District E Relays and later placed in the same spot at the Mid-Wach A meet.

At yesterday’s CMass Meet at Fitchburg State University, those same four girls led the way again, as Milford finished second with 67 points, 23 points behind state powerhouse Wachusett, which also bested the Scarlet Hawk girls at the Mid-Wach A meet.

Algonquin’s boys got three individual first-place finishes and set a meet record in the 4x100 relay on their way to finishing second with 73 points.

The Scarlet Hawk girls, meanwhile, put a smile on their coach’s face.

“I’m so proud,” Milford coach Lori Brogioli said of her girls. “It’s one of those things where you get into this meet and you’re hoping that everything possible that can go right, will go right. Some years it’s the opposite. Today, we did absolutely everything we needed to do to be in this spot. This is always an iffy meet for us because we have prom the night before, but they all went, they’re all tired, and they all performed, so I was very happy.”

While Fraga and Sheehan played their respective parts, Savoie and Campbell were the catalysts.

Savoie took first in the long jump (17-08) and third in the 200-meter dash (26.46) while Campbell placed first in the javelin with, a school-record toss of 133-5, and third in the shot put with a throw of 34-10.25. Savoie also joined Fraga (second in the 400 hurdles, school-record 1:05.99), Sheehan (fourth in the 100 hurdles, 16.15), and Keilan Nova (fourth in the 400, school-record 59.68) on the winning 4x100 team (school record 50.41).

“I wanted this meet to be really special because this is by far the best track team Milford girls has ever had,” Savoie said. We’ve been breaking school records throughout the season and everyone put 100 percent in today. I’m so proud of the team more than anything, but I think for my performances, they prove that you can’t underestimate anyone. No matter what the old standards are, talent can always be found and passion is always there, so I just think that no matter what the standards are, you can pull through and do your best.”

“It feels great to have a strong showing today,” Campbell said. “Especially in something like shot put where I’m real close to a couple of the other girls. It’s a good competition feeling because nobody is really vicious afterwards, so if you win or you come in second, you feel good for everybody else, too. It’s really awesome.”

Page 2 of 2 - Westborough, which finished fourth with 38.75 points, was led by Westfield State-bound senior Naloti Palma, who placed first in the shot put (38-5.25) and discus (114-2).

“It means a lot,” Palma said. “This season has been a big struggle for me. I’ve been fighting a back injury that happened about midway through the season. Honestly, it’s been a battle and it means that I’m able to overcome pretty much anything.”

Alexa Fearing was fifth-place Marlborough’s (36 points) top individual performer, as she finished runner-up to Palma in both the shot put (35-4.25) and discus (104-11).

“I’m happy with the places I finished, but I’m not necessarily pleased with my distances, more so in the discus than the shot put,” the UMass-Amherst-bound senior said. “I was hoping to get a better seed going into All-States, but I’m hoping I can get a good week of practice in both events to make those throws a bit longer next weekend.”

Uxbridge junior Emily Cahill, who mentioned that she was happy with the way she performed, had three second-place finishes, good for 24 of her team’s 26 points (11th place). Cahill finished runner-up in the 100 hurdles (15.3), high jump (5-6), and triple jump (35-4).

“I thought the kids performed very well,” Algonquin boys coach Andy Boschetto said. “We got the points where we expected to get them. We expected to win the javelin, we expected to win the shot put, and we thought the 4x100 team should win, which they did, so I was very happy with the way the guys competed today. They worked hard through the whole season and we’ve had a great season altogether.”

Added Boschetto of the 4x100 team, “they’ve become a family. Everyday at practice, they’ll spend an extra 10 or 15 minutes just working on handoffs trying to get them down. They’re like one.”

The only other local boy winner was Hudson’s Darnell Butler, who took the 200-meter dash in 22.57.

Other standout performers included Blackstone-Millville’s Nick Quitzau, who took second in the javelin (175-6) and third in the 110 hurdles (15.29), and Marlborough’s Jon Ortiz, who placed third in the 400 (50.99) and fifth in the long jump (21-6.25).